Magazine for firearms



(No Model.)

E. G. PARKHURST.

S M R A E R I F R 0 F E N I Z A G A M Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

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Z51??? ziz/s K haw 9 W UNITED STATES EDWARD G. PARKHURST, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEE ARMS COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,097, dated March 16, 1897.

Application filed April 20, 1896. Serial No. 588,364. (No model.) Patented in England May 5, 1896, No. 9,570; in France May 9, 1896,11'0. 256,228; in Belgium May 9,1896,No.12l,2761 in Italy May 9, 1896,LXXXI, 2'79, and in Austria July 28,1896,N0.46/3,018.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. PARK- HURST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magazine-Eirearms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invent-ion is patented in Great Britain, No. 9,570, dated May 5, 1896; in France, No. 256,228, dated May 9, 1896; in Belgium, No. 121,276, dated May 9, 1896; in Austria, No. 46/8018, dated July 28, 1896, and in Italy, Vol. LXXXI, No. 279, dated May 9, 1896.

This invention relates to an improved form of magazine for firearms, and is applicable to all classes of firearms employing a magazine the upper walls of which are contracted, so as to prevent the cartridges from being pushed into the opening made by the withdrawal of the breech block or bolt of the gun. These contracted portions of the walls usually permit the upper portion of the uppermost cartridge to project through or between the side walls to an extent sut'ticient to enable its rim to be engaged by the closing movement of the breech block or bolt, so as to be carried thereby into the cartridge-chamber in the barrel, the forward ends of the upper or space-contracting portions of the walls of the magazine being cut away to a sufiicient extent to allow the cartridge to escape therefrom and to be raised up into alinement with the barrel as soon as the forward end of the cartridge has entered its chamber to a sufficient extent to guide its movement.

The general object of this invention is to provide means whereby either or both of the cartridge-space-contracting portions of the magazine-walls maybe opened, so as to allow the magazine to be easily recharged by pushing cartridges into it from above either singly or out of a suitable cartridge containing packet or filler. The accomplishment of this object has hitherto been sought by making the upper or space-contracting portions of the side walls of the magazine of sheet metal sufficiently thin and elastic to be sprung apart by the pressure applied upon the top of the cartridge, but those sheet-metal walls if made to yield to a moderate pressure, so as to allow cartridges to be pressed into the magazine from above, will yield with equal readiness to similar pressure from below and do not hold the cartridges with certainty against the pressure of the cartridge-elevating devices when that pressure is made strong enough to move the cartridges upward with a sufficientdegree of certainty during the firing operations of the gun.

The general object of the invention is accomplished in providing means whereby the cartridges may be inserted in the magazine without an undue amount of pressure or exertion on the part of the operator beyond that necessary to overcome the pressure of the cartridge-elevating means and so thatthose cartridges shall be retained in the magazine with certainty against the upward pressure of the elevator while the gun is in operation.

This invention is herein shown and described in its application to guns of the class known as boltguns, the general structure of which is shown to asufficient extent to enable the application of my invention thereto to be readily understood.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a right-hand side view of a gun of the general type above referred to, the stock and a portion of the receiver thereof being broken away sufficiently to enable my improved magazine-closer to be shown. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1, showing a cartridge retained against upward movement by the curved upper edges of the walls of the magazine, one of which is shown to be hinged. Fig. 3 is a rear end view in section, taken on the line 3 4 of Fig. 1, showing the closer in its opened position, which allows of cartridges being pushed into the magazine from above. Fig. 4c is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, showing the closer in the closed or cartridge-retaining position normally assumed by it.

This invention is herein shown to be attached upon the right-hand side wall of the magazine M, located beneath the receiver C of the gun. This magazine consists of two side walls between which the file of cartridges is pushed up toward the opening in the breech by means of the elevator E, which may be of any one of the several well-known forms used for this purpose, it being only necessary that the elevator shall be actuated with a sufficient degree of force to move the file of cartridges upward with certainty as the uppermost cartridges are removed one after the other by the bolt.

The upper portion of the side wall 1 of the magazine M is cut away to an extent snfficient to receive the magazine-closer 2, which is pivotally mounted upon the lugs 3 at on the side wall 1, or upon any convenient adjacent portion of the gun or itsreceiver. As a means of holding the closer in its closed position (shown in Fig. 4) I preferably employa spring made of coiled wire, as shown herein, having a central loop which extends along and bears against the upper portion of the outside of the closer with its ends turned down and coiled around the hinge-pin 6, which is preferably extended the entire length of the closer, as shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the wire spring beyond the portions thereof which are coiled upon the hinge-pin extend downward and bear against the wall 1 of the magazine, which forms the abutment against which the spring acts, the latter being so set that its upper portion operates to press the closer toward its closed position (shown in Fig. 4) with sufficient tension to resist with certainty the closer-opening tendency due to the upward pressure of the cartridges by the elevator E while the gun is being operated.

As a means of enabling'the operator to open the closer when it is desired to charge the magazine with cartridges I have arranged the key 7, preferably made integral with the closer itself and extending therefrom to a location convenient to the finger or thumb of the operator.

When the receiver is covered by a portion of the stock of the gun, it maybe recessed, as herein shown, to allow a sufficient movement of the closer and its key, the latter being fitted to the opening. As a means of closing the entrance to the recess, so as to exclude sand and dust therefrom, I have provided the guard 8, preferably made by slitting and bending outward a portion of the side wall 1 of the magazine of the same width as the key, the latter being provided with a corresponding transverse slot or recess into which the guard extends, the guard and its recess being so formed as to allow of the movement of the closer upon its hinge. Other forms of springs may obviously be adapted to press the closer to its closed position, and that closer may be located upon either side or upon bot-h sides'of the magazine, as may be desired. I ha've,however, shown herein the particular construc tion and arrangement of the parts which seem to me preferable.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with a magazine, and with an operating-key mounted thereon, the herein-described dust-guard extending from the side wall of the magazine, and made substantially the width of the key, the latter being provided with a suitably-adapted slot therefor, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a firearmmagazine, the herein-described mouth-closer therefor, consisting of a plate pivotally mounted upon a side wall of the magazine and adapted when closed to form a continuation thereof, and to contract the uppe-rportion of thecartridge-space so as to prevent the upward passage of the cartridges, a spring arranged and operating to normally press the closer to its closed position, and an operating-key extending from the magazine-closer to a location convenient to the hand of the operator, substantially as described.

3. In a firearm of the class specified, a magazine located below the breech-bolt in the vertical plane of the bore of the gun, having the upper portion of one of its side walls cut away, a closer fitted in the opening thus made and mounted upon hinges located at the ends of the closer, the upper margin of the closer forming a space-contracting wall of the magazine, and an operating-key located substantially midway of the length of the closer and integral therewith,substantially as described.

4:. In a firearm of the class specified,a magazine located below the breech-bolt in the ver tical plane of the bore of the gun, having the upper portion of one of its side walls cut away, a closer fitted in the opening thus made and mounted upon hinges located at the ends of the closer, the upper margin of the closer forming a space-contracting wall of the magazine, an operating-key located substantially midway of the closer and integral therewith, and a wire spring having a central loop which extends along and bears against the upper portion of the outside of the closer, the ends of the loop being coiled aroundthe hingepin, and extending downwardly again st the lower portion of the side wall of the magazine, whereby it normally holds the closer in its closed position, substantially as described.

n. e. PARKHURST.

Witnesses:

E. H. MoRsE, W. H. HoNIss. 

